Learning The Hard Way
by Alyria Martell
Summary: The generation after the Second Wizarding War adapts to the new Wizarding society their parents created. Muggle-borns and half-bloods are no longer discriminated against as before. Even some purebloods have muggle friends. Some still cling to the traditional way, however. While the students learn to live in their new world, the one outside once more grows dark.
1. A Most Wonderful Birthday

A mostly devoured birthday cake was sat on the table, as though it held court over various other edibles. There were plates of miniature pizzas with sundry toppings and bags of Walkers. Wesley Jones had slaved over the grill making beefburgers for his son's party. Killian Jones adored them. The Muggle children invited to the party hadn't seemed overly shocked to see beefburgers, along with ketchup, mustard, and various other non-magical condiments. Cadbury wrappers adorned the table, as did lollipop sticks, gum wrappers (the occasional piece of gum) cups with various fizzy drinks and lemonade, all sitting on top of a Marvel tablecloth. Killian read all sorts of Muggle comics - _Spiderman_, _X-Men_, _Iron Man_. _Doctor Strange_ was his favourite, though he despaired greatly that, like all non-magical pictures, the pictures in Muggle comics did not move.

The children had played Pin-the-Tail-On-Nightcrawler and had giggled as the appendage was stuck to his nose, his left ear, his right ankle, and finally, it's proper place.

"Rob, you cheated!" Killian said to Robin Locke, laughing.

"I couldn't have cheated," the other boy smirked. "Had the blindfold on the entire time!"

Killian rolled his eyes, conceding Robin the game.

Then, they'd all decided to watch _The Avengers_ while wearing their favourite's costume. Of the Avengers, Killian was most fond of Iron Man, and so wore the red and gold plastic mask. Robin's Avenger of choice was Hawkeye. He held a toy bow and pretended to loose an arrow every time Clint Barton did the same on screen. There was their Hulk with the oversized toy green hands. Captain America held his shield tightly, and Thor wielded the mighty Mjolnir with vigour. Half-way through the film, Thor decided to wrestle Hulk, so of course Captain America had to intervene. Hawkeye rolled his eyes, but took Cap's side. Iron Man whined a bit that HE hadn't been the one to suggest wrestling in the first place, but joined in, amused. Black Widow, Pepper Potts, and Loki all sat together with shared looks of exasperation on their faces, and elected to go into the back garden to use the swings.

After a few more moments of good-natured roughhousing, Larissa Jones called the three children on the swings, "Gwyn! Arnold! Sarah! Time for Killian to open his presents, loves!"

After everyone had gathered in the sitting room, Killian opened his presents. He tore paper off new copy of _Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief_.

"I….I know you like adventure stories, Kil," said shy Lucy Rivers quietly. "I read them, the whole set, and they're my favorites." She smiled sweetly, and Killian nodded in gratitude.

"Ta, Lucy! I'm sure I'll love it," he replied excitedly, always the gentleman. He continued tearing wrapping paper off various parcels, including a journal, a black, red, and white skateboard withpirate flags adorning it, a new videogame, and _The Pirates of the Caribbean _series.

The party ended after Killian opened all of his presents from the Muggle children. Their parents came and retrieved them, had them thank Killian and his parents for their invitation and hospitality. One or two of the mothers even volunteered their children to stay and help with the cleanup. While grateful, Larissa politely refused. "We'll be perfectly fine, thank you. No, no, it's no trouble! I hope you had a good time? Good! Killian does love having his friends over."

As soon the door clicked closed and everyone was gone, except Robin, Larissa turned to the two boys and said, grinning, "Now, who wants some Cauldron Cakes? Or some Every-Flavour Beans?"

"Cauldron Cakes!" both boys exclaimed. When Larissa came out of the kitchen, she held a plate with four cauldron cakes. Robin and Killian quickly devoured theirs, while Mr. and Mrs. Jones each took a seat and enjoyed theirs across the coffee table. The remains of the party had yet to be taken care of. Upon finishing his cake, Wesley cleaned up the mess with a quick flick of his wand and some well-placed scourgifies to set the house in order.

"You didn't open my gift, Kil!" Robin said. "I couldn't resist getting you something magical…." He stood and went to the cupbard. Killian could make no guess as to what Robin had possibly gotten him. He reached in and grabbed something, but the lamp blocked it from Killian's view. Robin held whatever his gift was behind his back, and turned so that he was walking backwards. Killian craned his neck, hoping to see what Robin hid so well, but to no avail. Finally, Robin reached the coffee table. He set down the gift, looked right at Killian and said, "Killian Jones, I present to you….your very own owl!" Robin stepped aside to allow Killian a look at his new pet and companion.

What Robin revealed was a cage adorned with a bow containing a small tawny owl. The tawny blinked twice and hooted at her new owner, but she made no sound.

Killian looked pleased with the owl, but unsure about its silence.

"It's alright. I had to use a Silencing Spell on it to keep it from making noise. Can't let the Muggles find out," Larissa explained.

"And before you ask," Wesley added, "Robin talked with us about your having an owl before he bought yours."

Owls were at least 10 Galleons. It would have taken Robin months to save up for one to give Killian.

"You've been planning this for a while, haven't you, Rob?" Killian said, thrilled and touched that his friend would sacrifice to give him this kind of a present.

"You'll have to take good care of it –" Larissa started

"Her," Robin chimed. "It's a her."

"And name her," Larissa continued fluidly.

Killian looked at the tawny owl, who hooted again, with a bit of volume, as though agreeing that she wanted something to be called. After a moment of intense concentration, Killian said, "I'll call her Hazel." With that, he opened her cage, held out his arm and allowed her to hop onto his hand. Hazel was a gentle owl, doing her best to keep her claws from scratching his arm and affectionately nipping his finger before letting him stroke the feathers on her head.

While Killian and Hazel got used to each other, Wesley heard a rapping on the window near the back door. He opened the window and in flew another owl with a letter attached to its claw. The envelope was addressed to Killian.

"Well," he said, as he ventured back into the sitting room, "it looks like you have some owl post, Kil." Wesley gave the owl a small treat and it flew out the window with a hoot goodbye.

Killian and Robin both widened their eyes at that. Owl post on his eleventh birthday….that could only mean one thing. Killian quickly put Hazel back in her cage, with a promise to take her out again as soon as he'd read his post. She hooted something that sounded very close to resigned, and if she'd been human, gave him a look close to an eyeroll. Killian took the letter and opened the envelope. He took out the letter, but didn't open it for a long minute.

"Go on, Killian," Robin said. "Read it! You know what it is!"

"Dear Mr. Jones," Killian read excitedly, "We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts….MUM! DAD!" he whooped. Robin laughed and they high-fived in celebration.

Right at that moment, Robin's mother, Mathilde Locke, apparated into their sitting room. She was a lightly tan, dark blonde woman with tired, but shining blue eyes and the laugh lines that only having a beloved child can bring. Robin's coloring had clearly been inherited from her.

"Oh, dear! I hope I'm not late!" she fussed, as she patted down her purple and green robes and brushed invisible dust off of her green leather gloves.

"Not at all, dear!" Larissa replied as she got up from where she was sat and kissed Mathilde on each cheek. "Killian's just gotten his letter to Hogwarts! Isn't it wonderful?"

"Oh! Yes, it is his eleventh, isn't it? And Robin, that reminds me," she reached into a handbag that matched her gloves exactly, pulling out a letter addressed to him. "An owl came for you just before I left!" She handed the post to Robin and he looked at the letter with shock and awe. He stood next to his mother as he opened it, more quickly than Killian had opened his, and his mouth dropped wide in surprise.

"I….I got in, too!" he said. Robin looked at his mother, worry flitting across the edges of his face, overriding the excitement of the letter. "What will father…."

"Don't worry about that, he'll be thrilled!" Mathilde attempted, as she touched Robin on the shoulder. Robin could see by the way the smile didn't quite reach her eyes that she was not speaking truthfully. While Oliver Locke had accepted that his wife was magical, for a child of his to be magical would be an entirely different matter. Oliver had spoken nothing but ill of magic and those who practiced it ("except of course, for you, my dear Mattie….you're not like them, you can't help it….") Mathilde was not allowed any wizarding friends at the house, but she could visit them in theirs. And certainly no magical children were allowed there. "Magic is learned! I won't have Robin involved with them! Think of the effect they'd have on Robin! He might _become _one of them," he'd seethed. When he wasn't sober, he would threaten Mathilde, had hit her once because he claimed she'd bewitched him. Robin had kept his magic hidden from his father as best he could. His father would never accept a magical child.

Lucky for Robin and Mathilde, Oliver was a professional archer. He was constantly away for training or competitions. He never realized that most of Robin's friends _were_ magical. It also made concealing Robin's magic easier, especially the uncontrolled magic. Once, Robin had turned all the glass in the house to steel because he'd had a terrible nightmare.

There would be no denying his magic now. Mathilde would insist that he went to Hogwarts to learn to control it. Otherwise, his uncontrolled magic could be dangerous.

Despite his apprehension over his father's likely reaction, Robin smiled. He and Killian were going to Hogwarts together!

"Well, how about this, Mattie. Robin can sleep here tonight and come with us when we take Killian to Diagon Alley for his books and supplies tomorrow," Wesley offered. The Jones' were well aware of Oliver's aversion to magic. Robin had spent many a night in their home when Oliver was on one of his tirades. Best Robin weren't there when his father first heard about the letter.

Mathilde nodded. "That sounds like a great idea! You know our vault number?" she asked Robin. Robin did. "Good. Get 500 Galleons out for supplies, hmm? And do behave."

"He's always good, if mischievous," Larissa said.

"Thanks, Rissa." Mathilde smiled gratefully and hugged her friend. "I'll be back in a mo with some things for Robin to wear." With that, she disapparated.

The two boys looked at each other and grinned madly. This had been the greatest birthday ever.


	2. A Princess In Her Tower

Ch. 2

The tower bedrooms were not warm ones at Blackeagle Castle. June was fast coming to a close, and Regina Blackwood still wore full sleeved nightdresses to bed despite the summer season. She looked out the window of her room and enjoyed the feel of the cool night air as she wrapped her shawl around her. Her long black hair fell over her shoulders and the breeze gently played with her curls. She sighed. On a night such as this, other children would be packing a magical tent to sleep out of doors or practicing flying on toy brooms (or maybe even real ones purchased for them in secret by doting guardians.) Even Muggle children would be having a more enjoyable evening than she had, stuck in her tower with no company save the paintings on the wall. One of which was a portrait of her mother's aunt, but she had stepped out for the moment to speak with another portrait about borrowing different colored robes. A navy blue would be brilliant against a seaside background, she'd reasoned. Having the painting in the room was almost as horrific as being locked in a room alone with Cora Blackwood herself. Regina had lost count of the times that her Aunt Rosaline's portrait had informed Cora of what Regina was doing, the little spy. She had half a mind to toss the picture frame – sans subject – from her tower bedroom, but she would only be in worse trouble than she was already. Aunt Rosaline would tell her mother what she'd done and she'd be confined to her room until September. She sat on her bed and complained out loud to her painting of a beautiful, young woman well-kept royal blue medieval robes with a beautiful sapphire tiara adorning her midnight hair.

"I don't understand why mother has forbidden me from leaving my chambers this time," she said as she sat down in front of her vanity and brushed her hair.

"Tell me what happened," the woman replied.

Regina began, "We were having dinner, mother's favorite – roast quail with apricot-port wine sauce – when I asked what Muggles eat for dinner."

Her brows furrowed in concentration as the Blue-Robed Woman asked, "Does your mother carry a bias against Muggles?"

"Yes," Regina confirmed, putting down her brush and turning to face the painting directly. "She asked why I cared what Muggles – or mudbloods – for that matter ate. I said I didn't like 'mudblood,' that it was a cruel word to use. She dismissed me from the table to come here for the night. I am confined to chambers for the week, only allowed out for meals." Regina walked over to her bed, just underneath the portrait. "What's so wrong with Muggles and Muggle-born wizards anyway?" she complained, to no one in particular.

"Oh, dear child. I am sorry. Some Wizards have always believed that being born a Wizard in a Wizarding family grants them superiority. They dislike anyone not like themselves." The Blue-Robed Woman's smile, normally vibrant and inviting, became a sad, close-lipped half-smile.

Just at that moment, there was a knock on Regina's door.

"Come in," she called as she sat up.

The door quietly creaked open to reveal Daniel, Regina's twin. He entered the door and walked over to her quickly, a bounce of obvious excitement in his step. When he had reached her, he handed her an envelope with her name on it.

"Open it, Gina!" he exclaimed, with a quick, polite, "Hello!" to the painting on her wall. He then refocused on his sister adding, "It's your acceptance letter! Has to be! This close to our birthday, what else could it be?

"Alright," Regina agreed as she got up and walked over to her writing desk. She retrieved the penknife kept in her quill jar and gently tore the top edge of the envelope to access the letter. Her eyes were the first of her features to show the truth of her excitement. Her lips followed suit, curling into genuine happiness.

"We're going to Hogwarts, Danny!" she laughed. Suddenly, the moon and stars outside seemed to shine a bit more brightly in her tower room. Perhaps it was just a reflection of the rare joy she was having. Hogwarts! Far from her mother's control and prejudice. A place where the portraits in her room would not spy on her. A place where, perhaps, she could actually find a kindred spirit, a friend. Daniel was entertaining company and a good heart, but he did not share Regina's love of stories, songs, and the odd Muggle trinkets she kept hidden from Cora. A pen had been fascinating! A quill with the ink inside it, so one never had to redip? Regina had been delighted. Cora would have been furious.

Regina hugged Daniel and clasped his hands in hers. "This is amazing!"

Daniel nodded. "Mother said she'd take us to Diagon Alley tomorrow, on our birthday!"

Regina let go of Daniel's hand and looked over the list of school supplies.

"Mother will let me out of my chambers tomorrow?" The hope in her voice was masked by disbelief. Cora had never let her daughter out of her room except for meals – at times, not even then – when her punishment had been confinement to her tower. She had become incredibly familiar with the deep blue drapes that stood in front of her windows, as well as the matching azure and silver linens on her bed. Her duvet was white with blue roses connected by silver stems that mimicked real roses. They would bud and bloom and repeat the process. She had counted all 426 of them she didn't know how often.

Many books, as well as dolls in robes from the Middle Ages, the Elizabethan era, and the Victorian as well as modern ages adorned the shelves on her walls. They were entirely ordinary looking dolls, porcelain and lifeless until being played with.

"Yes! It's Hogwarts shopping, Gina. Of course she's letting you out," he said with an added roll of his eyes.

Regina smiled, and replied, "Tomorrow will be wonderful! And you'd best get back to your chambers before the paintings snitch to mother."

Daniel agreed, gave a playful bow to his sister, and made for his own room, closing the dark wood door behind him noiselessly.

The stars twinkled brightly and a soft breeze blew through her window as she walked over and closed it for the night, letting down her drapes. She snuffed out her candles and climbed into bed. The Blue-robed Woman said good night and sang Regina a lullaby in a language Regina did not recognize until she was certain Regina slept. Sleep came quickly, but not restfully. Regina dreamed tragedy and terror – of "_Mudblood lover" _being graffitied over her bed at Hogwarts. Of green lights from wands and spells she'd never heard, of that green light passing from Cora's wand to Daniel and him falling cold to the ground. Of realizing that Cora had not uttered the incantation, nor held the wand...but Regina.

She woke with a muffled start after her dream. She shook her head and cleared her mind, seeing the sun shining through the gap in her drapes and knowing that a trip to Diagon Alley was in her near future. She removed the covers. She stretched and yawned, covering her mouth, her breath gently warming the back of her hand. She walked over to her wardrobe and selected a green silk dress with small golden diamonds embroidered throughout in a diagonal pattern. After bathing and dressing quickly, she walked down to the dining table and sat quietly. One of the house elves – they all looked remarkably similar to Regina – brought her warm oatmeal with sliced peaches in a small silver bowl and some eggs, bacon, and toast on a matching silver plate. Cora had already been seated, as was Henry Blackwood, Regina's father. Only Daniel failed to appear for breakfast.

"Regina, dear, have you seen your brother this morning?" Henry asked.

"No," Regina said, after taking a drink of her milk. "I haven't seen him since he gave me my Hogwarts letter."

"Probably sleeping in, the laze-about," Cora criticized. The clock struck 7 a.m. Just after the final toll of the clock, they heard someone running at speed down the stairs. Daniel appeared a moment later, cheeks aglow with spent energy and catching his breath. The house elf again appeared and gave Daniel his breakfast.

"Thank you, Tunny," he said.

Tunny bowed in response and squeaked, "Master Daniel is too kind. There is nothin' to thank Tunny for, Master Daniel, nothing!" Tunney hurried away before Daniel could say anything else.

"Hurry with your breakfast, Daniel. Don't waste a breath on houselves. What next? Associating with mudblodds? At any rate, we're going to be at the shops of Diagon Alley as early as we can. Hopefully, as soon as they open," Cora said.

Daniel swallowed his bite of oatmeal and replied, "Yes, Mother," biting his tongue from any other response.

The children ate in silence. Cora took advantage.

"Now, children, when we go to Diagon Alley, you must remember to only speak with the Pureblood wizards. The half-bloods and mudbloods are beneath you," she practically spat. "They'll be there with their Muggle parents as well. Why they allow their kind there is beyond me." Regina bit her lip as the outrages continued. She would not risk her mother's wrath when she was so close to a small taste of freedom.

After a moment, Henry interrupted Cora with a goodbye and a kiss on Regina and Daniel's foreheads. He went to the chimney and used the floo network to get to the Ministry of Magic, where he worked in the Department of Mysteries. The mystery he worked on was a mystery even to Cora. Short of lacing his tea with Veritaserum, he would never tell.

The remaining Blackwoods finished their breakfast. When every bite was gone and every drop drunk, Cora, Regina, and Daniel all held hands and apparated to Diagon Alley.


End file.
